NOVA SCOTIA
99 NEW – Vehicles Powered by Alternative Fuels Program
Q1. Mitigation Initiative* Q2. Ministry Q3. Theme Q4. Status Q5. Collaboration* Q6. Results*
Grants were provided to qualified Ontario companies that supported one‐third of the eligible cost of anti‐idling devices and alternative fuel vehicles up to a specified cap.
The objective of the initiative was to support the purchase of green vehicles and add‐on technologies by the private sector to improve their economic competitiveness and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A total of $4.7 million was flowed to 169 companies for 1,635 vehicles.
A weblink with additional information is being established.
Transportation (MTO)
Contact: Julius Gorys, Julius.gorys@ontario.ca
/Demonstration (ID)
Concluded
were undertaken to help develop and deliver the initiative. Collaboration was with environmental groups, alternative technology and fuel producers, trucking industry and associations and other government ministries.
Consultation was essential for finalizing and revising program design and implementation elements to ensure eligibility criteria, the application process, and data collection and grant funding structure was reasonable and effective.
*** Results
The program had a number of accomplishments including significant leveraging of private sector investments in green vehicles and technologies: $24 million versus $4.7 million in grants; lifecycle fuel savings of approximately 18 million litres and 72,000 lifecycle tonnes of GHG avoided.
Program demand was lower than anticipated because of buying cycles, the economic downturn, and the purchase of less expensive technologies than originally projected.
Programs such as these reduce the payback period for firms enabling more vehicles or devices to be purchased and encouraged broader market change; showcasing these vehicles and devices resulted in the acquisition of more of the same even without government grants.
99 NEW – Vehicles Powered by Alternative Fuels Program
People who purchase or lease new or used vehicles licensed under the Highway Traffic Act (e.g., automobiles, buses, trucks, and vans) may qualify for a rebate of retail sales tax (RST) if the vehicles operate or are converted to operate on an alternative fuel.
The objective of this program was to promote the adoption of alternatively fuelled vehicles in Ontario. Indicators included the number of incentives provided and the number of alternatively fuelled vehicles on the road in Ontario. Contribution to climate change mitigation by replacing gasoline‐fuelled vehicles with alternatively fuelled vehicles.
A rebate of the 8% RST paid on vehicles powered by alternative fuels, including RST paid on any conversion costs, is limited to:
$750 for propane vehicles
$1,000 for vehicles powered by any other alternative fuelOntario Ministry of Finance
C. Incentive /Demonstration (ID)
A. Completed/
Concluded
Contact Ontario Ministry of Finance for details
Contact Ontario Ministry of Finance for details
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Q1. Mitigation Initiative* Q2. Ministry Q3. Theme Q4. Status Q5. Collaboration* Q6. Results*
$1,000 for HEVs delivered to purchasers after May 9, 2001 and before March 24, 2006
$2,000 for HEVs delivered to purchasers after March 23, 2006 and before April 1, 2012.
Website: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/refund/vpaf/
100 NEW – Sustainability InSight
Sustainability InSight was created to guide the Ministry of Transportation’s (MTO) activities in managing the province’s transportation system in a more sustainable way. It sets out to both: ingrain sustainability into the internal business practices and behaviour of the ministry; and to influence the ministry’s policies and programs that affect the external provincial transportation system. The strategy’s goals are to be reached over time by completing specific actions articulated in three‐year Sustainability
Implementation Plans (SIPs).
Sustainability InSight is guided by seven strategic goals. Implementing the strategy will help MTO achieve its vision of being a world leader in moving people and goods safely, efficiently and sustainably, and to support a globally competitive economy and a high quality of life. Climate change is one of many pressures on the transportation system;
moving toward a more sustainable system includes taking and encouraging actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
The strategy is incorporated and implemented through regular business planning and capital investment.
Website: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/sustainability/strategy/
Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO)
Contact: Bram Westfall, Bram.westfall@ontario.ca
E. Government Policy
C. In progress
MTO working across all divisions to implement.
See *** Results below.
*** Results
In 2012, the first Sustainability Implementation Plan (SIP) was publicly released, outlining specific commitments the MTO will take over the course of three years (2011‐13) to work toward the strategy’s seven goals.
The plan contains a description of projects in varying stages of implementation, 2011 achievements and 2012 and 2013 milestones. The SIP indicates that MTO will provide a comprehensive update on all commitments in the current plan when it releases its next SIP at the end of the 3 year period.
101 NEW ‐ #CycleON : Ontario’s Cycling Strategy
Released on August 30, 2013, the Strategy establishes a 20‐year vision, goals and strategic directions to increase cycling as a viable transportation choice. The Strategy will be implemented through a series of action plans.
The Cycling Strategy’s vision is that by 2033 cycling in Ontario is recognized, respected and valued as a core mode of transportation that provides individuals and communities with health, economic, social and other benefits. Increasing the transportation mode
Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO)
Contact: Bram Westfall, Bram.westfall@ontario.ca
E. Government Policy
C. In progress
First Action Plan under development.
The Cycling Strategy is a multi‐ministry initiative, led by MTO with involvement of 11 partner ministries. The Strategy is also being implemented through the actions of external partners, including municipalities.
MTO will develop indicators to measure progress towards achieving Cycling Strategy’s goals.
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Q1. Mitigation Initiative* Q2. Ministry Q3. Theme Q4. Status Q5. Collaboration* Q6. Results*
share of cycling will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The province currently invests in cycling through capital expenditure, program delivery, and transfers to partners. For example, from 2010‐13, about $4 million was spent by MTO on cycling related provincial infrastructure, including two pilot projects to pave highway shoulders on Manitoulin Island and Bruce Peninsula.
Website: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling/
102 Long Combination Vehicle (LCV) Program
Permit program to allow the operation of LCVs in Ontario. LCVs are up to 40‐metres long and consist of a tractor pulling two full‐length semi‐trailers. Each LCV replaces two 23‐metre tractor‐trailers.
LCVs reduce fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately one‐third by pulling two semi‐trailers with on tractor. Due to program restrictions, they also push traffic from peak to non‐peak periods, further reducing the amount of time these vehicles spend idling in congested traffic.
The LCV Program did not receive new funding, and is managed through existing resources. Industry has been an important partner, and covered many of the initial start‐up costs and continuing costs associated with engineering assessments of routing for these large vehicles.
Website: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/trucks/lcv/program‐
conditions/index.shtml
Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO)
Contact: Joe Lynch, A/Manager, Policy and Planning Division, Transportation Policy Branch, Goods Movement Office
A. Legislation / Regulation (LR)
C. In progress
Neighbouring provinces and states have different regulations concerning this type of vehicle. MTO has been working with Quebec and the Atlantic provinces to better harmonize
requirements.
Further collaboration with neighbouring states may be of benefit in the future.
Greater collaboration would allow these types of vehicles to travel seamlessly through Canada and the US.
The LCV Program has grown since it was introduced in 2009.
Continued growth will further create reductions in fuel consumption and GHG emissions.
103 NEW – Environmental Guide on Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The environmental guide lays out MTO policy and methodology to assess the GHG emission implications of future MTO highway projects.
The principal objective of the guide is to standardize MTO’s assessment of the air quality and GHG emission impacts of its future projects.
There is no funding assigned to the development of the guide. However the application of the guide in individual projects will be funded through MTO’s environmental assessment project.
The environmental guide is available at:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/environmental‐assessment‐and‐protection/MTO‐
Air‐Quality‐Guide‐en‐26‐01‐2012.pdf
Ontario Ministry of the Environment
Contact: Ms. Dawn Irish, Branch Manager,
Environmental Policy Office, Transportation Planning
E. Government Policy
(endorsed by the Ministry of the Environment)
C. In progress
Prepared in collaboration with provincial and federal regulatory agencies.
Potential for GHG emissions are now part of the evaluation criteria for selecting
transportation options and related aspects of new projects.
104 NEW – Metrolinx Smart Commute Workplace Program
Metrolinx (agency of MTO)
C. Incentive /Demonstration
C. In progress
Yes – this program benefits from the collaborative effort
This program works to serve over 300
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Q1. Mitigation Initiative* Q2. Ministry Q3. Theme Q4. Status Q5. Collaboration* Q6. Results*
Smart Commute is a program of Metrolinx and the municipalities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The Smart Commute Workplace program is delivered through a network of 13 Transportation Management Associations partly funded and supported by Metrolinx and is designed to help workplaces and commuters explore different commute choices like transit, carpooling, cycling, walking and alternative work arrangements.
The goals of the current Smart Commute Workplace program is to ease gridlock, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while making commutes less expensive and more enjoyable. While this has been the goal of the current Smart Commute Workplace program, Metrolinx is undergoing a new Smart Commute strategy, and it will look to encompass the program with workplace, schools and active and sustainable communities.
Website: http://www.smartcommute.ca/en/home
Contact:
Becky Upfold, Ph: 416‐202‐
5590
(ID)
With the intention of being updated with the refresh of the new Smart Commute strategy.
of Metrolinx, GTHA municipalities,
Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) and private sector workplaces.
All of these parties work together to deliver workplace programs that also meet the actions outlined under Strategy 4 of The Big Move.
The benefits include increased awareness and changes in commuting behaviour.
workplaces and 700,000 commuters through the network of Smart Commute TMAs.
The program results are recorded through surveys, ridematching, tracking, and other events and campaigns.
105 Metrolinx Smart Commute Carpool Zone
Carpool Zone is an online ridematching tool, available to all commuters in Ontario, but is specifically promoted to commuters and workplaces within the GTHA. Carpool Zone is an integral part of the Smart Commute program and has the ability to customize elements of the service to fit the needs of participating Smart Commute workplaces.
The objectives of Carpool Zone include the facilitation of ridematching throughout the region, with the goal of reducing Single Occupancy Vehicle travel by encouraging carpooling among commuters in the GTHA.
The service costs are up to $100,000/annum to operate.
Website: https://www.carpoolzone.smartcommute.ca/en/my/
Metrolinx (agency of MTO)
Contact: Krista Eichenbaum, Ph : 416‐202‐5747
D. Other (specify):
Providing supportive tools
To incent and facilitate behaviour change,
specifically, carpooling
C. In progress
On‐going service delivery
Yes – collaborating with other GTHA municipalities in promoting and using the tool throughout the region is beneficial.
Regional promotion and use increases the number of users and in turn increases the number of potential carpool matches. This then contributes to increased behaviour change and the related savings of Single Occupancy Vehicle reduction including emissions avoided, reduced VKT and money spent on commuting.
106 NEW – Metrolinx Smart Commute Emergency Ride Home
The Emergency Ride Home (ERH) Program provides Smart Commute workplace commuters with easy access to transportation alternatives in the event of a personal emergency. The ERH program is designed as a form of ‘commuter insurance’ and provides transportation reimbursement for those who have used a sustainable mode to commute to work and need to arrange a different way of getting home via taxi, public transit, or a rental car. The ERH program covers reimbursements up to a maximum of
$75.00 per ride. The program is only offered by 12 of the 13 TMAs and is only available to commuters who work at a Smart Commute workplace.
The goal of this service is to provide an option to those commuters using sustainable modes of commuting, in supporting Goal A of The Big Move in providing Transportation
Metrolinx (agency of MTO)
Contact: Krista Eichenbaum, Ph : 416‐202‐5747
C. Incentive /Demonstration (ID)
For behaviour change
C. In progress
On‐going service delivery
Yes ‐collaboration with other funders (including other municipalities) and Transportation Management Associations has taken place to determine the maximum reimbursement cost and outline the protocols of the program.
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Q1. Mitigation Initiative* Q2. Ministry Q3. Theme Q4. Status Q5. Collaboration* Q6. Results*
Choices.
The reimbursement is received and reviewed by Metrolinx prior to sending the claim to the appropriate TMA to process the claim. The maximum cost reimbursement is $75.00 per ride.
Website: http://www.smartcommute.ca/en/more‐options/emergency‐ride‐home‐cms
107 Metrolinx Stepping it Up
As part of Metrolinx The Big Move, Strategies 2 (create an ambitious transportation demand management program) and 7 (build walkable and cyclable communities), the Stepping It Up pilot project implemented Canadian School Travel Planning Mode and Smart Commute workplace program at 30 elementary schools in Hamilton and Peel, to promote active and sustainable modes of school travel for students, families and staff.
The project aimed to shift school travel behaviour from driving to walking, cycling/other active and sustainable transportation modes using a variety of education,
encouragement, enforcement, engineering, and evaluation initiatives as determined in each school’s School Travel Plan. Objectives included to: work with 30 schools, collect 30 sets of school travel data, create 20 school travel plans and implement 34 school travel initiatives from school travel plans. Targets included to reduce automobile mode share by 3 to 5% (replace auto trips with walking or cycling trips or other sustainable modes) and this was chiefly measured through five‐day tallies of how students travelled to school daily (other measurement tools such as traffic counts, staff surveys, and family surveys were also tested). By reducing automobile trips, the project prevented greenhouse gas emissions and promoted more resilient and sustainable travel behaviour such as walking and cycling in school communities.
Total funding of $1.2 million from April 2009 to December 2011 includes approximately
$300,000 from Metrolinx; $400,000 from Transport Canada; and $500,000 in‐kind contributions from other government partners (i.e. Region of Peel, City of Hamilton).
Website:
www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/schooltravel/SteppingItUpReportENG.pd f
Metrolinx (agency of MTO)
Contact: Jennifer Lay, Ph:
416‐202‐5951
C. Incentive /Demonstration (ID)
A. Completed/
Concluded
(April 2009‐
December 2011)
Yes – key collaborators included: Metrolinx (overall project coordination and reporting), the City of Hamilton (project delivery in Hamilton), Region of Peel (project delivery in Mississauga and Brampton), University of Toronto (data compilation and analysis) and Green Communities Canada (school travel planning expertise and support), and Transport Canada (federal matching funding).
At the community level the project (i.e. school travel planning) was implemented in partnership with a variety of collaborators including:
school boards, schools, public health units, municipal divisions (e.g.
police services, transportation services, recreational services), and community associations/
NGOs.
These collaborations enabled the project to be completed on time, budget and meet or exceed objectives and targets.
See *** Results below.
*** Results
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The outcome: through baseline and follow up surveys in school classrooms, project partners measured: an overall average decrease in school car trips of 7% in the morning period and 3% in the afternoon period, with an equivalent increase in pedestrian trips; this in turn prevented (annually) 101,635 vehicle kilometres, 22 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) and 884 kg of air pollutants annually.
Costs and benefits of individual school projects were subsequently evaluated along with other Ontario projects and, for example, one Stepping It Up school had a BCR of 17 (full results are detailed in Costs and Benefits report available from Metrolinx)
The most important external factor that impacted the outcome was the collaboration and delivery of the project by partners as listed in Q5 (including ongoing funding and in‐kind resources, especially human resources, to the project). Another significant external factor was the health climate (e.g. the project was delayed due to the H1N1 epidemic in 2009/10).
Key Lessons: 1) with key collaborators on board, School Travel Planning is a relatively low cost intervention that can be effective in shifting travel behaviour at elementary schools to reduce motor vehicle use and promote active travel, thereby preventing greenhouse gas emissions and producing other measurable benefits; 2) for these efforts to be sustainable, active travel modes (walking, cycling) need to be formally recognized as part of school transportation and appropriate resources and partnerships must be formed for longer term promotion; 3) a provincial champion and strategy is needed to create a supportive context for active travel modes at the school board and municipal levels.
108 Metrolinx Next Steps in Active and Sustainable School Travel Program
School travel is estimated to account for 22% of morning peak period travel in the GTHA; The Big Move envisions that by 2031, 60% of all school travel will be by active transportation modes. As part of Metrolinx’s The Big Move, Strategies 2 (create an ambitious transportation demand management program) and 7 (build walkable and cyclable communities), and following from the 2009 to 2011 Stepping It Up project, the Active and Sustainable School Travel (ASST) program is a conglomeration of initiatives over 2012 to 2014, to continue to advance the movement on this issue in the GTHA and Ontario. To date the program has included the completion of a number of studies on ASST policy, barriers and enablers, Ontario School Travel Planning case studies, costs and benefits of School Travel Planning in Ontario report, and the development of a strategic roadmap for provincial coordination on ASST.
The objectives of the program are to: establish common goals and directions amongst the various collaborators and build the case for ASST provincially; secure champions to lead and fund in their area; and establish a formal mandate and collaborative framework for the longer term. The targets are to undertake research and consultations to create a strategic plan for provincial coordination on ASST and an implementation plan by June 2014 – the indicators of success are formal stakeholder collaboration in, commitment to and completion of the strategy and plan. By improving provincial collaboration on this file, we may (in both short and longer term) contribute to climate change mitigation by foster policies to create more walkable and cyclable communities, shifting behaviour to reduce automobile use and move toward more active and sustainable travel, and build healthier and more resilient communities in Ontario.
The approximate amount of funding to Metrolinx’s ASST initiative is one FTE plus an operating budget, totalling: $150,000 each fiscal year; stakeholders have additionally contributed significant in‐kind staff time for meetings, workshops, and other pieces of the program.
Metrolinx (agency of MTO)
Contact: Jennifer Lay, Ph:
416‐202‐5951
E. Government Policy Creating a mandate, strategy and action plan for provincial coordination/colla boration
C. In progress
Strategy report development completed Nov.
2013 and action plan
development underway (completion anticipated May 2014)
Yes – to develop the strategic roadmap and implementation plan, we are collaborating with eight provincial ministries (MTO, EDU, MOHLTC, MMAH, MOE, MOI, MCYS, MTCS), and other stakeholders including school boards, municipalities and NGOs.
Each stakeholder participated in interviews and workshops and is providing further input and in‐kind support (i.e. staff time) as the initiative unfolds.
Early lessons: active and sustainable school travel is a shared issue and thus requires a multi‐
sectoral, multi‐
disciplinary mandate, as well as formal collaboration from a number of key provincial ministries (provincially) as well as school boards, municipalities and NGOs (regionally/locally); in order to realize shared goals and objectives, the shared mandate must be sufficiently resourced and delivery agents must have the supports they need to implement ASST initiatives that are aligned with local needs
disciplinary mandate, as well as formal collaboration from a number of key provincial ministries (provincially) as well as school boards, municipalities and NGOs (regionally/locally); in order to realize shared goals and objectives, the shared mandate must be sufficiently resourced and delivery agents must have the supports they need to implement ASST initiatives that are aligned with local needs